Description
Have a craving for flavorful Barbacoa? Try making this juicy Mexican-inspired pulled beef at home today. The beef chuck is cooked slowly in a slow cooker, resulting in tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat that is perfect for tacos or bowls.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 pounds beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 6 portions
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 pieces of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup beef broth
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Step: Cut the meat into 6 portions and season all sides with salt and black pepper.
- Step: In a large Dutch oven or skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat until simmering. Cook 3 pieces of beef chuck until well-browned on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the meat to a slow cooker. Repeat process with remaining 3 pieces.
- Step: Add onion and garlic into the pot. Stir frequently for 5-6 minutes over medium heat. Add cumin, cloves, oregano, chipotle peppers, and stir constantly for 30 seconds.
- Step: Add the remaining ingredients, except bay leaves. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half over medium-high heat. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree it.
- Step: Pour the sauce over the meat then stir in bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or 3-4 hours on high.
- Step: Remove the meat from the slow cooker then shred. Put the shredded meat back into a slow cooker. Toss the meat with juices and let it soak for at least 10 minutes on warm before serving. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper if needed.
Notes
If you’re running out of time, use only ½ cup of beef broth and throw all of the ingredients into the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low. Other cuts like beef brisket or beef cheek can be used as alternatives. Store leftovers in small airtight containers for up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 325 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 289 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 117 mg
Keywords: beef barbacoa, mexican pulled beef, slow cooker recipe, tex-mex, shredded beef